The Virginia Monologues
by Captain Vulcan
Summary: Five years after World Regeneration,Virginia embarks on a quest to regain her memories. Not only that, she also looks forward to reclaiming her children. If you take a walk in her shoes,then maybe you'll understand that she's not as crazy as she appears.


I'm not completely sure why I would want to post a fiction that deals with the relationship between Virginia and her children but after meeting her in Exire, I developed an urge to do so. I mean that small particular sect was entirely unresolved in a sense and I felt that I should dwell onto it. I just certainly hope that I'm not the only one that feels that way.

This fic is dark but it's not **too** dark, so it's more of the drama genre. The main angst of this story is when it dwells on Virginia's memories and regrets. The humor kicks into gear when she actually tries to bond with her children – especially Raine. On another note the story is told from Virginia's perspective.

Sorry for those that are looking for specific pairings; I have none in mind as of now. Maybe the readers can help me with that. This story may be slightly AU and it has a few original characters. Still, I hope you will enjoy this.

**Disclaimer: **I'm neither the creator nor the owner of Tales of Symphonia or other Tales game in general.

**Tales of Symphonia**

**The Virginia Monologues **

**Prologue**

**No Sunshine Only Rain **

The lobby of the northern medical center was indeed a cold place. Not only was that the clinic is in the heart of the frozen continent Flanoir but it's also some of the people that occupies here seem cold as well. The employers hardly express any emotions and they only communicate with their patients when they're tending to them. I've been living here for the last five years since it has been erected and I still do not sense much warmth or familiarities. The numerous doctors that work here told me that this is my home for now but I think it isn't. Flanoir Asylum doesn't have enough of a soul in order for me to consider it so.

This… haven is the northern branch of the Imperial Research Academy. I reside in the facility for the mentally ill in the west wing of the institute. I was dispatched here because the people of my hometown, Exire, said that I was insane. Since then, I reside here with people that are 'mad' like me. Goddess Martel, this world is cruel! These people are not mad, they're brilliant… well, those that I know anyway.

My name is Virginia Sage, fifty-three years old and an elf – all the more reason to be discriminated against I guess. Since I've been here I was told that I'm a mother of two whom I cannot remember. One of the researchers told me so. He said that there are archives in a town called Heimdall that keeps a record of citizens born there. Oh, speak of the devil, here he comes now…

"Miss Virginia," he began in his burly voice. He was a short and stout man that reaches my neck. "I have some good news for you." He tells me.

"And what's the bad news?" I quipped, sewing up an eye on the doll I held in my arms.

His phony smiled didn't waver in the least. To me, he never had a genuine smile. "You've made a remarkable recovery since you've been here." He says. "We've managed to help you recuperate most of your sanity back in five short years." He mentioned 'sanity' like I was truly demented. I guess it was nothing personal – just business.

Somehow, I knew that was only the good news. "That's good for me," I replied, "it really is nice to hear that from the staff. Now on with the bad news…"

His wide shoulders slumped as he sighed. "Unfortunately, Miss Virginia, it appears that you have yet to recover most of your memories." He informed in a tone filled with pity. "Lately, we were informed that you are a mother of two children."

I heard that one before but I doubt that I will ever actually meet them. I'll never get out of this hole-in-the-wall clinic. "So I've been told… that is why I seldom carry this around with me these days." I held up the doll. It was that shaggy, muddy brown doll that I once thought to be my child. That was what they told me as well.

"Not only that…" He started but was interrupted when another patient approached him from behind and began stroking his hair with a comb. "Now, now, Chelsea my hair is just fine today." He grinned, probably due to the fact that Chelsea's chest was propped on his shoulders. "So there's no need for you to comb it."

"Oh! I'm so sorry Dr. McClain." She gasped and retained the comb back in her cleavage. Chelsea is a human, twenty-two, with short brown hair on her head. That child really looks up to me. I became a mother figure to her since we've known each other over the last few years. Sometimes she regresses into the mindset of a child due to the fact that she'd lost her parents to sickness at a very young age. Poor child, living in orphanage after orphanage she was eventually transferred here for care. Though she was full grown in body, she was definitely not so in mind. "I thought I seen some dandruff caking in your hair." Her voice was high pitched and juvenile, but not at all vexing.

"I'm fine, thank you." He chuckled, blushing.

"I love you." Chelsea spoke in honesty, as though he was family. She gazes down on herself and self-consciously smoothed down the black clinical robes we were required to wear. She was slender but the garbs were a little tight around her rather broad hips. She searched the room for a chair and decided on one near the bookshelf.

"Love you too…" the doctor replied, to appease her of course.

That girl must be going through 'late puberty'… I thought I saw her smirk at him when she took a seat in the lobby. She probably has a crush on him. Personally I don't see why. While McClain was in his early thirties and sort of handsome in the face, I don't consider him my type. He's relatively short (shorter than me, I may add) and may need to slim down a bit. Plus, most women prefer men they can look up to.

I raised a brow. Chelsea somehow affected him. "Doctor, I'm waiting on you to continue your explanation about my children."

He regained himself. "Oh! Right… right…" He took out a handkerchief from his shirt pocket and messaged his temples. "As I was saying Miss Virginia, your children are still in existence." He said that because I honestly thought that they were deceased after my psychotic 'doll' episode. "It may be interesting to know that they participated in The World Regeneration process years ago."

I eyed him for a long moment. The doctor had an all knowing smile on his lips – it wasn't one of those fake ones that I was used to seeing on his face this time. The World Regeneration... Should I be proud? Should I be proud to know that I have children that literally saved the world? This is getting interesting. "Oh?" I couldn't help but crack a smile. "Is that so, Dr, McClain?"

"Yes ma'am," he replied. "The clinic has an offer for you."

I laughed a bit. What can this clinic offer me besides medication? It damn sure wasn't freedom. "What is it, doctor?" I asked him.

"We are not sure where they are as of now but we wish to help you search for your children." He stated, and then he looked thoughtful. "Would you like to travel around the world in order for you to actually meet them and reclaim your memories as well?"

I couldn't believe what he just said. Did he just imply that I was departing soon? Ah my goddess, this is too good to be true! I displayed a straight face and told him, "Yes doctor, I would like that. You're kidding me, are you not?"

"No I am not, Miss Virginia." He nodded. "You will be leaving in two days and Ms. Azalea Watson is to accompany you." He stepped aside of the doorway. "Miss Watson…"

I knew young Azalea. She's a graduate from the school in Sybak and a half-elf. She's been out of there for a year and a half now and since then we've became close friends. Like Chelsea, she too sees me as a motherly figure. Other than that, she does a good job in prescribing my medication. "Hey Miss Virginia," she greeted cheerfully as she entered the lobby. Her voice had a sincere tone to it, unlike most of the employers, and it was smooth.

"Hey girl," I replied. "Are you doing okay today?" She seemed delighted to the fact that she will be traveling with me. Unlike the others that cater to me, Azalea never hesitates to speak her opinions and freely expresses what's on her mind – personal matters of course. She approached me, the pen nearly rolling off of her clipboard that she carries with her. "You seem to be in a good mood today?"

"Yes, I'm fine ma'am." She responded, flipping her long bluish-black hair that reaches a little past her waist. All the young girls have good hair these days. "As you already know, I'll be joining you on your journey. It's certainly an honor to assist you Miss Sage."

"This is a good chance for us to bond, dear." I told her with a grin. "You're like a daughter to me after all." Even though I am overjoyed to know that she will be traveling with me, it pains me to guess what may lay ahead for her. She's a half-elf. Tidbits and speculations have been going around that discrimination against her kind has weakened, but it is still out there. It was a blessing that she completed her studies in Sybak.

"Yes Miss Sage, but soon I hope to finally meet your real daughter." She told me. "Since I was studying in Sybak I always admired Raine Sage and her little brother, Genis." I looked at her in surprise. Those names did sound dreadfully familiar to me. Are those the actual names of my children? "They put up quite an effort along with their friends."

Consternation gathered on my expression. "Raine… and Genis?" Damn they sounded familiar!

"Yes ma'am." McClain spoke up. "They are the half-elves that were traveling with the group that regenerated the world. Thanks to them the animosity towards half-elves has diminished significantly."

So, my kids are half-elves? Interesting, it never hurts to be different sometimes. Azalea (twenty-three) looks as anxious as a child that is about to receive a new toy. "Where… where are they now?" I wondered.

"We are not sure." Azalea admitted with a crestfallen look. "Since World Regeneration, they have been traveling all over the place conveying anti-discrimination to half-elves, and any race in particular."

Such ambitions they have! But, "So, how are we going to find them?"

"While we are traveling, we could get some lead of their whereabouts." Azalea said happily. "There's bound to be some people that know exactly where they are located." Well that made some sense.

I lightened up a bit. "I see…" There was a sudden hubbub going on across the lobby. Azalea, the doctor and I glance across the room to find the source of it. There it was: Chelsea was confronting an eleven year old chubby boy over a magazine filled with photos of international desserts. They weren't exactly fist-fighting but they were having a tug-of-war with the said book and it appears that the portly child was winning.

Chelsea, being ten years older and nearly a foot taller than the boy was whining. "That's no fair, Clyde!" She ranted furiously. "I saw it first."

"Nah uh," the boy spun a half circle in order to pry it out of Chelsea's hand but he only lifted her off her feet and gave her a swing, "this is my book!" It was kind of funny seeing Chelsea being manhandled by a kid half her size. That kid gave her a shove and Chelsea hit the cold floor on her bottom. That, in all honesty, looked like it hurt but I hope that big behind of hers lessened some of the pain.

The doctor was already over at their sides. "You two calm yourselves!" He commanded, picking up some of the torn pages from the floor. "There's no need to fight over a little bitty cookbook." He pried the book out of the boy's hand. "You know better than that!"

"But it was mine!" Clyde retorted.

Chelsea was still on the floor, tear faced. "You only wanted the book because you saw me reading it!" She exclaimed, her voice cracking with sadness. "I should have slapped you up side your big head!"

"Please, you two keep the noise down." The doctor tried his best to console the bickering children. I, on the other hand, gazed out the window. It was the beginning of autumn but strangely enough, the skies weren't clear nor it was snowing… it was raining – freezing rain that is.

The beautiful precipitation of nourishment made me nostalgic. Or maybe it was déjà vu. "Raine…" I said slowly and soulfully. It was like I have said it like that in decades. My eyes were still focused on the heavy precipitation. "Raine…"

I felt Azalea's eye on me. "Miss Virginia, what did you just say?" She queried to me.

How something so usual could be so much of a phenomenon to me? My gaze did not left the window for a long, silent moment. It was so strange in doing so it was almost frightening. I… it feels like I've done this before… staring outside the window and watching the pouring rain while uttering that name. "Miss Virginia…" Azalea tried again.

I could still hear the child but my mind was somewhere else. In sort of a response, I said "Rain…"

"Excuse me?" I heard her again. She was genuinely befuddled.

"Raine…" I said one more. "Raine… there is no sunshine… only Raine…"

**END OF PROLOGUE**

Jeez, that last line sounded a little cliché. Well, that's it for the prologue; the first chapter should be up this weekend. I was going for something new and I thought that maybe I should post this story in first person from somehow who is 'clinically insane'. Not that I have something against people like her. But, as the old saying goes "There's a fine line between genius and insanity." And I certainly believe that at times.

On another note, I'm really searching for a beta reader to help me improve my writing skills. I find this story much harder to write than the usual perspective. So, if any of you guys are interested, drop me a message in a review or e-mail me constructive criticism and advices would be highly appreciated. Thanks, and I'm out. See you this weekend.


End file.
